Tobacco stick



J. H. COMBS TOBACCO STICK April 10, 1934.

Filed Jan. 18, 1933 QMW aTames Jib'ombs $5.; chain conveyors.

Patented Apr. 10, 1934 OFFICE i TOBACCO STICK James H. Combs, Lexington, Ky.

Application January 18,

2 Claims. (Cl. 131-21) This invention relates in general to tobacco redrying apparatus, and more particularly has reference to an improved means for supporting the tobacco while it is passing through a redrying machine.

After tobacco is cut, it is dried out or cured in the air before it is marketed. After a tobacco buyer has bought tobacco from a number of dif- V ferent growers, he naturally has tobacco which is not all in the same condtion. Instead, he probably has tobacco in as many different conditions as there are sources from which it was obtained.

In order to convert this tobacco into a uniform stock so that it will all be in the same condition, it is necessary to put it through a process known as redrying. Such process is usually carried out by a machine provided for that purpose. In such machines the tobacco is first subjected to moisture and is thoroughly moistened to a uniform 201 degree throughout. After it has been thus moistened it is subjected to a heating and drying step for a predetermined length of time. This again reduces the moisture content of the tobacco, but this time it is all given exactly the same treatment and comes out a uniform product regardless of what may have been its condition before.

The usual construction in machines of this type consists of a chamber or a series of chambers in which the various steps of the process are carried out and a means for supporting the tobacco and conducting it through the chambers where the various operations are performed on it. For this purpose a very satisfactory conveyor has been I found to be in the form of a double endless chain -conveyor. Sticks, which in the past have been made of wood, are placed with their ends in lugs provided for the purpose on the respective chains, and the tobacco is hung over these sticks for conduction through the machine.

As has been noted, these sticks have in the past been made of wood, that material being comparatively light, inexpensive, capable of standing considerable rough handling, and easily formed into the required sizes and shapes to fit into the However, when these wooden sticks are alternately subjected to moisture, heat, etc. during the process of redrying the tobacco they will very quickly become warped and twisted so as to be unusable in the machine, and those 5.0K that do not become unusable for this reason will quickly become so cracked, rotted, etc. as to be unfit for use. It has been found that sticks will sometimes become so warped and twisted in the machine as to clog and stop the machine. This is 1 also caused at times by the breaking of cracked,

dried or rotten sticks. When such clogging occurs it becomes necessary to shut down the machine, allow it to cool off, and then locate and remove the offending wooden stick. Much valuable time and labor is thus lost and the quality of the tobacco may quite possibly be affected.

It is further noted in connection with wooden sticks that although they are light when dry, they will readily soak up considerable moisture in the redrying process and then they become comparatively very heavy. Thus, although normally the wooden sticks are light, they do not remain so throughout the process of redrying. Similarly, although they are inexpensive when considering only first cost, they are very expensive when other 0 troubles connected with them are considered.

It is therefore one of the objects of this invention to provide a supporting stick for use in a re-- drying machine, which will eliminate the disadvantages present in the prior art.

Another object is to provide a device of the type referred to which will be light, capable of withstanding rough handling, inexpensive and easily formed into desired size and shape for use in a redrying machine, which will remain substantially the same weight at all times, and which will substantially eliminate necessity for replacements and trouble due to deterioration in use.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following descrip- 73 tion taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it being understood that the same are by way of illustration and example only and are not to be taken as in any way limiting the scope of this invention. The spirit and scope of this invention are to be limited only by the prior art and by the terms of the appended claims.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a side view illustrating a chain conveyor carrying a series of tobacco sticks.

Figure 2 is a partial front view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of this invention.

Figure 4 is a cross section of the stick shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating a modified form of cross section.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating a modification.

Figure 1 illustrates a chain conveyor consisting of a pair of endless chains 1 carried on sprocket wheels 2. These chains each consist of rollers 3 and pairs of links 4 and 5. The rollers 3 each leg extend between the opposed ends of a pair of links 4 and 5, and are pivotally secured in such position by means of rivets 6 or the like passing through openings provided for the purpose in the ends of the links 4 and 5. These two chains are endless and are simultaneously operated by the sprocket wheels 2 in a well known manner.

The links 4 and 5 are each provided with a lug '7 extending upwardly, the chains themselves being so arranged that a pair of lugs 7 on the chain will always be exactly opposed to a pair of lugs 7 on the other chain. These lugs 7 are each provided with a hook-shaped socket or depression 8 for the purpose of receiving the respective ends of a stick 9 adapted to support the tobacco in a manner heretofore set forth.

In accordance with this invention these sticks 9 are to be formed of some suitable metal such as aluminum or the like instead of being made of wood as in the past. This material is amply strong enough to perform the functions desired, and it is light, inexpensive as compared with other suitable materials besides wood, and easily formed into the desired size and shape for use in a redryer. Furthermore, it will not be aifected by the moisture and heat employed in the process and will not crack, split, warp or rot as wooden sticks Will. A non-corrosive metal should be ema ployed to further guard against deterioration of its forms may if desired be closed at their ends to 40 prevent dirt and other matter from collecting therein and to protect the ends of the stick from being deformed in rough handling. Also these forms may of course be made solid if found desirable.

In use, the sticks employed for this purpose are thrown about and receive considerable rough handling, sometimes being thrown from one floor to another or from one place to another on the same floor. Frequently they are sent from one place to another on an inclined chute. The previously used wooden sticks would stand this rough usage fairly well although their ends would eventually become burred or unduly damaged so as to prevent them from fitting into the sockets 8 in the lugs 7. Metal sticks will also have a tendency to become burred at their ends by such usage but not to such an extent as wooden sticks.

For the purpose of guarding still further against such damage as this, the stick 11 shown in Figure 6, has been provided at each of its open ends with a plug 12 of wood, rubber or other suitable material, the end of such plug projecting out of the end of the stick for a distance of about A to serve as a bumper and prevent damage to the end of the stick. These plugs will' take the shocks and may be replaced when they become damaged. A stick is thus formed which eliminates all of the disadvantages of wooden sticks for redrying tobacco and which will stand up under rough usage much better than wooden sticks.

It is clear, of course, that the plugs 12 may be done away with if not needed and the hollow stick 11 used without them.

From the above it will be appreciated that a means has been provided for carrying out all the 105 objects of this invention and for providing a greatly improved tobacco stick for use in re-- drying machines.

What I claim is:

1. A stick for suspending tobacco during the 111 redrying operation, said stick being hollow and formed of non-corrosive metal, and non-metallic bumper plugs in the hollow ends of said stick and projecting slightly therefrom to prevent the ends of said stick from being battered out of 1T5 shape in rough handling.

2. A stick for suspending tobacco during the redrying operation, said stick being formed with continuous outer surfaces and similar closed ends and being formed of non-corrosive metal. 1 1

JAMES H. COMBS. 

